By JOE JAROSZ
Northeast News
June 4, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – For the next 14 months, the Kansas City City Council will have their hands full with projects close to their districts, and hearts.

For the most recent business session meeting, Councilman Ed Ford, second district, suggested council members give presentations on projects they’re working on. He noted communication is important for the council wishing to accomplish its goals, especially for those who are term limited and wish to see things completed before August 2015.

The first council member to address needs that concern those in the Northeast area was first district representative Dick Davis. He pointed out the first district is an area with “major street systems that are woefully inadequate.” Over the next 14 months, Davis said, he’d like to see extended sidewalks along the Chouteau Trafficway as well as work the the state legislative on making Community Improvement Districts easier to obtain.

“They’ve been a big help this past year,” Davis said about CIDs. He added before other council members leave, he’d like to see a consensus made about the KCI terminal and Phase II of the streetcar.

Councilwoman Jan Marcason, representing the fourth district, said she and Jim Glover, who also represents the fourth district, are working closely on a lot of issues. Concerning the Northeast, Marcason wants to make sure new Kansas City Museum director Anna Marie Tutera has a good transition. She added working to reduce crime and making sure the streetcar extensions go through are important for her vision of the future of the Northeast area.

“Streecars on Independence [Avenue] and Linwood [Boulevard], as well as traveling south on Main [Street] are important,” Glover said.

Councilman Jermaine Reed, third district representative, said infrastructure improvements along Independence Avenue and Linwood Boulevard are important to his district. He said he continues to work with the Public Works department staff, as well as the public, on ways to improve those roads. He added he’s also looking to make some improvements to the area at 18th and Vine, also known as the Jazz District.

“We are restructuring the Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation (JDRC) Board by establishing an 18th and Vine Development oversight committee focused on the redevelopment of the area,” Reed said.

During his presentation, Mayor Sly James noted that at this point in the year, over the past four years, homicide numbers have decreased. He said he also plans to continue to advocate for gun regulation on a local basis.

“This has nothing to do with the Second Amendment,” James said. “The guns we want to focus on are in the hands of the wrong people.”